Faculty Research Publications (Civil and Construction Engineering)http://hdl.handle.net/1957/28193
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 23:02:43 GMT2015-03-03T23:02:43ZCase Study for Tsunami Design of Coastal Infrastructure: Spencer Creek Bridge, Oregonhttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/55167
Case Study for Tsunami Design of Coastal Infrastructure: Spencer Creek Bridge, Oregon
Yim, Solomon C.; Wei, Yong; Azadbakht, Mohsen; Nimmala, Seshu; Potisuk, Tanarat
The absence of tsunami load provisions in coastal infrastructure design has led to unchecked resistance capacity of bridges against
one of the most eminent natural hazards on the U.S. west coast. The Spencer Creek Bridge, which was completely rebuilt on the Oregon coast in
2009, is a unique example to demonstrate development and implementation of site-specific tsunami loads during the design stage. Two tsunami
models, the Cornell Multigrid Coupled Tsunami model (COMCOT) and the Finite-Volume Wave model (FVWAVE), defined the flow fields
from three rupture configurations postulated for a Cascadia earthquake, which has a moment magnitude of 9.0 consistent with the seismic design
of the bridge structure. Although both models produce comparable surface elevations at the site, the finite-volume formulation of
FVWAVE provides higher flow speed because of its capability to conserve momentum and mass even with formation of tsunami bores.
The FVWAVE results define the input to the computational fluid dynamic module of LS-DYNA. The computed time history of the horizontal
and vertical loads on the bridge deck, in turn, provide the input to a finite-element model of the bridge structure for capacity comparisons and
damage analysis. It is concluded that the earthquake design specifications used for this particular bridge provide more than sufficient strength to
resist the maximum tsunami horizontal force. The margin of safety is much smaller for the uplift force, but still remains in an acceptable range.
To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the American Society of Civil Engineers and can be found at: http://ascelibrary.org/loi/jbenf2.
Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/551672015-01-01T00:00:00ZApplication of the Goda Pressure Formulae for Horizontal Wave Loads on Elevated Structureshttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/54834
Application of the Goda Pressure Formulae for Horizontal Wave Loads on Elevated Structures
Wiebe, Dane M.; Park, Hyoungsu; Cox, Daniel T.
Small-scale physical experiments were conducted to investigate the application of the Goda wave pressure formulae modified to predict the horizontal wave loads on elevated structures considering non-breaking, broken, and impulsive breaking waves. The air gap defined as the vertical distance from the still water level to the base of the structure played a key role in the reduction of wave impact forces. Physical model results using random waves confirmed that the modified application of the Goda wave pressure formulae provided a good estimate of the horizontal forces on elevated structures for both broken and impulsive breaking waves. As the air gap was increased, the resulting forces decreased, and the estimated values became increasingly conservative. When the ratio of the air gap to water depth, a/h′, increased from −1.0 to 1.5, the reduction in force was approximately 75% when the wave height to breaking water depth ratio, H/h[subscript b], was equal to unity.
This is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by Springer and can be found at: http://link.springer.com/journal/12205
Mon, 01 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/548342014-09-01T00:00:00ZTraffic Signal System Misconceptions Across Three Cohorts: Novice Students, Expert Students, and Practicing Engineershttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/54780
Traffic Signal System Misconceptions Across Three Cohorts: Novice Students, Expert Students, and Practicing Engineers
Hurwitz, David S.; Brown, Shane; Islam, Mohammad; Daratha, Kelvin; Kyte, Michael
Theories of situated knowledge and research evidence suggest that students are not prepared for the engineering workforce upon graduation from engineering programs. Concept inventory results from diverse fields suggest that students do not understand fundamental engineering, mathematics, and science concepts. These two concerns may result from different knowledge deficiencies; one from lack of conceptual understanding and the other from lack of applied knowledge. The research goals of this paper are to identify misconceptions, knowledge about phenomena that are persistent and incorrect, related to traffic signal operations and design in novice and expert engineering students and practicing engineering and to attempt to explain the patterns in misconceptions across these three cohorts. Results indicate three patterns (decreasing, increasing, and no change) of misconceptions across the three cohorts considered in this study (novice students, expert students, and practicing engineers). The pattern of decreasing misconception can be explained by a traditional model of learning that suggests improved understanding with additional instruction and student time on task. The pattern of increasing misconception appeared for concepts that were particularly complex and confounded, where practicing engineers produced much more complex answers that were mostly correct, but made leaps and speculations not yet proven in the literature. Misconception frequencies that stayed the same tended to include topics that do not have required national standards or that are buried in automated processes. The process of identifying and documenting misconceptions that exist across these cohorts is a necessary step in the development of data driven curriculum. An example of a conceptual exercise developed from four misconceptions identified in this study is also demonstrated.
This is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and can be found at: http://www.trb.org/Publications/PubsTRRJournal.aspx
Tue, 26 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/547802014-08-26T00:00:00ZInfluence of Collaborative Curriculum Design on Educational Beliefs, Communities of Practitioners, and Classroom Practice in Transportation Engineering Educationhttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/54779
Influence of Collaborative Curriculum Design on Educational Beliefs, Communities of Practitioners, and Classroom Practice in Transportation Engineering Education
Hurwitz, David S.; Swake, Joshua; Brown, Shane; Young, Rhonda; Heaslip, Kevin; Sanford Bernhardt, Kristen L.; Turochy, Rod E.
The development and widespread implementation of best practices in transportation engineering classrooms is important in attracting and retaining the next generation of transportation engineers. Engineering education professionals have uncovered many best practices in the field; however, the process of effectively disseminating and ultimately achieving the widespread adoption of these best practices by others is not yet well understood. Sixty participants, comprising faculty members, Ph.D. students, and public sector employees, attended a Transportation Engineering Education Workshop convened in Seattle, WA to promote the collaborative development and adoption of active learning and conceptual exercises in the introduction to transportation engineering class. Participant assessments were conducted in the
form of pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys. Results showed immediately positive shifts in participant beliefs about the importance of active learning and conceptual exercises with declines during the follow-up period, an increased density and connectivity of curriculum development networks, and extensive reports of valuable experiences and influences from the workshop.
This is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by the American Society of Civil Engineers and can be found at: http://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?320340
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMThttp://hdl.handle.net/1957/547792014-07-01T00:00:00Z